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Program Reviews

My Student Body-Parent

Overview

My Student Body-Parent is a web-based program using text, videos, audios, and interactive tools to teach parents of college-bound students about alcohol and other drug (AOD) use.

Grounded in cognitive behavioral and harm reduction theories, My Student Body-Parent seeks to improve parent-teen communication about AOD use, and reduce AOD-related risks for incoming freshmen. The program contains seven sections covering topics related to AOD use in college, including prevention strategies, information about transitioning to college, and the importance of communicating with teens about AOD. Throughout the program, communication between parents and teens is emphasized.

Link to commercial site here.

Delivery:
Web-based

Theoretical Approaches:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Harm Reduction

Target Substance(s):
Alcohol
Drugs

Target Outcome(s):
Parent-teen communication
Alcohol and drug related risks

Ages:
Adults (30+)

Genders:
Male
Female

Races/Ethnicities:
African American
Caucasian
Pacific Islander
Asian
Multiracial
Other

Setting:
Remote Access

Geographic Location:
Unspecified

Country:
USA

Language:
English

Evaluations

  • A randomized, controlled trial to test the efficacy of an online, parent-based intervention for reducing the risks associated with college-student alcohol use.

    Donovan E, Wood M, Frayjo K, Black RA, Surrette DA. Addictive Behaviors. 2012. 37(1): 25-35. PMCID: PMC3227221.

    Summary: This randomized controlled trial of the My Student Body-Parent intervention enrolled parent and teen dyads from 11 colleges. To participate, teens had to be entering their freshmen year of college. A total of 558 parents and teens agreed to participant and were enrolled in the study. Parents were randomly assigned to either the My Student Body-Parent intervention, or a control condition. Parents in the control condition were sent seven e-newsletters on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use in college students. Unlike the My Student Body-Parent intervention, the newsletters were purely educational and did not emphasize the importance of parent-teen communication about AODs. Parent-teen communication, protective behaviors, and knowledge of institutional drug and alcohol policies were measured at baseline, post-intervention, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Both parents and teens were assessed at each follow-up. Results showed that parent-teen communication increased more in the My Student Body-Parent group that the control condition. Additionally, teens whose parents were assigned to the My Student Body-Parent intervention had increases in protective drinking behaviors after arriving at college. Conversely, students whose parents only received the newsletter had decreases in protective drinking behaviors. Despite these differences, the My Student Body-Parent and control groups had equivalent rates of reading institutional AOD policies, and in rates of binge drinking.

    Take Away: The My Student Body-Parent intervention delivered improves parent-teen communication about alcohol and drug use, and is associated with increasing protective drinking behaviors among first year college students.